The hit new comedy series, Wellmania, is currently streaming on Netflix. From its premiere on 29 March, this hilarious yet clever drama, starring Celeste Barber, is getting a daily surge in viewers and higher ratings each day, currently ranking number two on Netflix.
Besides Barber and other well-known names such as Lachlan Buchanan, JJ Fong, and Remy Hii, one very expressive and unique teenage boy caught the eye of the producers. His name is Chris Malik, a local talent from Western Sydney, who is already making some big waves on the screens, locally and globally.
KNL talks with Chris about his role in Wellmania, his Australian television work, and big aspirations for his acting career.
KNL: Chris, what made you want to become an actor?
CM: I’ve always thought about it at a young age – around seven or eight years old. When I would watch movies, I would see myself in the movies and want to be that person. I kept telling my mum, “I want to be an actor.” It wasn’t until I was in year six, and my school teacher approached my mum and randomly said, “your son has a gift and he should be an actor. He’s brilliant! We did some rapping and drama today in class, and he had us in stitches the whole time!”
KNL: How did you start your acting career?
CM: Well, from year six, my mum then heard about a local acting school in Parramatta that runs classes after school. The teacher, her name is Nis, did a short audition for me to see what natural talent I have. After the audition, Nis told my mum, “he’s brilliant! He needs an agent and should be represented. He’s got talent.” So, then my mum applied with a talent agency. They also held auditions, and a few days later, they offered to represent me.
Chris appears in the national Reach Out advertisement campaign.
KNL: What type of roles do you receive in auditions?
CM: Usually I’m playing a teenage boy in television series for Stan and Netflix. They are the main auditions I receive. There was also a Disney audition. I’ve been told I have a unique look, and I can pass as a lot of nationalities. My natural heritage is Egyptian, so I can play many Egyptian roles, as well as Aboriginal, Indian, Lebanese, mixed African-American and mixed…well, anything. [laughs]
KNL: What are some extreme roles you have been cast in?
CM: In a new Netflix series by Celeste Barber currently airing in its first season called Wellmania, I play a teenage boy that’s very expressive and loud. In a national advertisement campaign for Reach Out, I am a teenager suffering from depression and a mental illness. That television ad actually used photos of me as well, and my face is posted in many shopping centres, train stations and bus stops. So, it’s a range of different characters and emotions and I put myself in the character’s shoes to bring out the best performance.
Chris Malik
KNL: What’s the most exciting production you’ve ever done?
CM: Well, the most exciting production was playing a shepherd boy for an international X-Box ad for the new release of Halo. It was 2020, in the middle of COVID. The production company needed siblings, as COVID rules didn’t allow close mixing with non-family members. They auditioned me over Zoom, I guess they loved me, then they asked to see my younger brother. They said, ‘we like the look of your younger brother. We need to speak with your mum please’ and then they offered us the role. My brother and I were flown to Melbourne, and we recorded in freezing temperatures, at midnight, in the middle of a field. The entire production was real and there was no green screen – the only animated things were the hyenas, and they were added in post-production. So, it was pitch black, midnight, I was dressed in rags, holding a fire torch, running in the field with sheep around me, yelling, fighting air and pretending I’m fighting hyenas. That was really exciting and intense… I absolutely loved it! Hollywood Director Garth Davis oversaw the production – he also directed the movie Lion with Nicole Kidman, so it was awesome to work with him.
KNL: What do you see for the future of Chris Malik?
CM: Pursuing my career as an actor and one day, making it to Hollywood to receive an Oscar. Rami Malek is my role model. He’s Egyptian, like me; he has the same surname – it’s spelled a little differently, but it’s the same name. When Rami Malek received his Oscar, I remember seeing this Egyptian actor, with the same surname as me, receive the most prestigious acting award, and I turned to my mum and said, ‘that’s going to be me one day.’ That’s where I see my future.
Original article: https://keepingnewslocal.com.au/chris-malik-local-teen-sensation-aims-for-hollywood-and-dreams-of-oscar/